Maria Schneider, who rose to fame in 1972 with her performance in Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris, has died after a long illness at age 58. The French actress was plucked from obscurity to be the female lead in the acclaimed film starring Marlon Brando, who portrayed a middle-aged American ex-pat living in Paris who tries to cope with his wife's suicide through anonymous sexual encounters with a young woman. The film raised eyebrows because of its envelope-pushing sex scenes. The movie was banned in some countries but did net Oscar nominations for Brando and Bertolucci. Schneider was "discovered" by Warren Beatty who helped her get into the film business. The daughter of French actor Daniel Gelin, she had a troubled youth. Following the success of Tango, she fell into dependency on drugs, which wreaked havoc on her life and career. She only made one other notable film, The Passenger (1975) for Antonioni and co-starring Jack Nicholson. Schneider became tainted by a reputation for being erratic in her personal behavior. She said that in 1980, she was saved by an "angel" who got her to get off drugs. The person, who Schneider has never identified, was still her lover at the time of her death. Schneider worked steadily, largely in unmemorable films. She said that she regretted doing Last Tango in Paris because it was an emotionally devastating experience. Brando said much the same thing. For more click here